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Synopsis:
Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.
Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker’s Guide (“A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have”) and a galaxy-full of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox—the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod’s girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan), whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student who is obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he bought over the years.
Review:
This book has been recommended to me over the years, especially by my mum who absolutely adore the series, however, I can’t say I was particularly impressed. Sci-fi that uses made-up words really, really grates on me. I haven’t read much sci-fi as its not my preferred genre, but one of my favourite books of all time is The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August which is science fiction, however, it’s based on earth and it’s about humans and human life. I just find that kind of sci-fi far easier to digest.
I did find moments in this book quite funny. It’s filled with a lot of British humour (my favourite kind!) so there were times I enjoyed some of the comedic elements. But even then, it’s not the funniest thing I’ve ever read? I could also appreciate the characters, Zaphod possibly being my favourite of them all, but I didn’t feel particularly invested in any of them so I’m not driven to pick up the next book in the ‘trilogy of five’.
I’m not really sure what else to say about this one. I almost put it down but I wanted to push myself to read it just so I could say I’ve read it. It’s only 200 pages so it really isn’t that big a book but it took me a while to get through it even still.
I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either.
BookBum 
I feel you. I struggled with this one as well. I was expecting it to be amazing and it was just okay.
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Definitely! I’m glad I’ve at least read it now, as it seems to be one those ‘books to read before you die’ kinda books!
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Nice review! While I greatly enjoyed it, this is a book that requires you to be okay with the made-up-stuff. It’s really more Science Fantasy than Science Fiction. Still, bits of the humor transcend the made-up stuff, so I’m glad you were at least able to enjoy that aspect.
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I read this as part of a readalong on Instagram, I think if I’d read it off my own back I wouldn’t have finished it to be honest! It’s a shame I didn’t love it but neither science fiction nor fantasy are genres I particularly enjoy! 🙂
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It’s a shame it wasn’t more up your alley, but at least now you’ve read it! Sometimes I try to make a point of reading things that aren’t my preferred genres specifically so that I know what I’m talking about when other people reference the book around me.
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Fab review! I haven’t read it but I have seen and heard the BBC series which I thought was brilliant.
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Thank you! I saw this live on stage and I quite enjoyed it then, but I wasn’t such a fan of it on paper 🤷♀️
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Interesting review – I like this book a lot but to be honest they get less amusing as the ‘trilogy’ goes on. I liked the 80s TV series a lot. I think it’s not an ideal read for anyone who prefers to get absorbed into a proper story.
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Thank you! Yes, I won’t be reading the rest of the series but I am glad that I read it 🙂
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Great review, Zuky! I’ve been wanting to read this one for a while, but I find that sci-fi is one of the genre that tend to be more miss than hit, especially if they contain a lot of made up words.
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Thank you and yes, I definitely feel the same way!
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